was a paffionate admirer of every gallant fpirit, was fo pleafed with the dignity of her manner and fentiments, and so charmed with the partiality fhe feemed to exprefs for himself, that he now folicited her hand on his own account as he faw the Countefs fo determined against the person propofed to her, he thought it no breach of friendship to accept of that love he could not gain for another, and which had been fo delicately offered him.

King Edward was greatly pleafed both at his determination and his choice; a more fuitable match could not have been propofed to him, as he wanted not to ftrengthen his throne by foreign alliances: the Prince the great grand-child of Edward the First of glorious memory, the Countefs the grandchild of the fame Monarch: he the glory of his fex for military performances, and all princely virtues; and the the flower of hers, for the delicacy of her beauty, the fprightlinefs of her wit, and the goodness of her heart.

P 4

heart. To noble and ingenuous minds affectation is difpleafing; they therefore deferred no longer to indulge their mutual wishes, than was neceflary to procure a difpenfation from the Pope on account of their confanguinity; this being obtained, they were married with great fplendor and folemnity at the Caftle of Windfor, on the tenth of October 1361, and during their whole lives lived an example to the English court, of that nuptial harmony and felicity which flows from a well-placed affection,

King Edward being now poffeffed of fuch confiderable territories in France, the fovereignty of which had been confirmed to him by the treaty of Bretigny, he had thoughts of erecting Acquitain and the other provinces into a kingdom, and to annex them to his titles; but taking into confi deration the great fervices of his Son Edward, he refigned them to him, creating him Prince of Acquitain. The Prince having received the proper charters, which con

tained many

tender expreffions from the King, and done homage for his dominions, he made preparations to pass the feas to take poffeffion of them: the remainder of the year was employed in preparing a retinue equal to his dignity, which, by the acquifition of fo rich a principality, required the pomp and state of royalty.

After Christmas the King and Queen, with their whole family, went to vifit the Prince and Princess at Berkhemstead, manor belonging to the Prince in Hertfordfhire, where they continued feveral Days

a

* Sir John Froiffart, who was prefent at the Prince's court during this association of the royal family, gives an account of the hofpitality with which they were received, and at the fame time relates a prophecy which was then the subject of conversation: "That neither the Prince "of Wales nor any of King Edward's Sons should ever "come to the crown, but that the realm of England fhould, after a while, devolve to the House of Lan"cafter." This happened to prove true; but perhaps the ambitious fpirit of John of Gaunt, afterwards Duke of Lancaster, whofe Son by indirect methods mounted the throne, began to fhew itself at this early period, and rendered fuch an event probable.

2

during which time the King held many confuitations with his Son on public affairs, as he alway paid great refpect to the Prince's judgment, not only in the concerns of war, but also thofe of civil government: the remainder of the time was spent in fplendid entertainments, and in fuch diverfions as could give pleasure to their royal guests; the Prince and Princess by their hospitality, affable behaviour, and tender affection for each other, increafing that esteem and veneration in which they were before held by the English court.

In the beginning of the February following the Prince went on board his fleet, of which the Earl of Warwick was Admiral, and arrived in four days at Rochelle, at which place he, and his Princess who accompanied him, were received with joyful acclamations on the fifth day after his arrival he fet out with a princely train for Poitiers, where the Nobility of that proyince met him with great refpect, and

cheerfully

cheerfully paid him homage. Thus, near the spot on which he vanquished the powers of France, he reaped the first fruits of his conqueft. From Poitiers he went to Bourdeaux, where he kept his court with all the fplendor of a Monarch: thither the Nobles of Gafcoigné came to render him fealty; he received them graciously, and behaved towards them in all points with fo much honour, graced by fuch a noble, generous, and affable deportment, that they rejoiced in the exchange of Sovereigns, and promised themselves much profperity under his government.

Among those who came to pay him homage were the Earls of Foix and Armagnąc, Lords of great power, and nearly allied by blood, but there fubfifted a great animofity between them: this had broke out into a war, which the French King durft not undertake to compofe, for fear of difobliging the King of England, whose vaffals they now were; but the Prince of

1

Wales